Russia-+Harpreet+Singh,+Ismet+Karabegovic


 * Russia ||

Ismet Karabegovic, Harpreet Singh Block 2

Mountains and Plateaus scatter the flat landscape of Russia. The Ural Mountains mark the boundary between European Russia and Asian Russia. The Urals are rich with iron ore and mineral fuels. There are some rugged mountain ranges between Russia and China. In eastern Russia, the Kamchatka Peninsula has about 100 volcanoes and 29 of them that are active. Most of European Russia is part of the Northern European Plain. It goes across western and central Europe. The northern part of this plain is very flat and poorly drained. This causes many swamps and lakes in the area. Russia has the longest coastline in the world and it can stretch up to 23,400 miles. Lake Baikal is the deepest freshwater lake in the world. Volga River is the fourth longest river in Russia.
 * Russia’s Land **
 * Climate and Vegetation **

Most of Russia is located in the high – latitudes. Some of the climate regions are tundra, subarctic, humid continental, and steppe. In the tundra there are vast treeless plains and it dominates the landscape. The region mostly lies in the Arctic Circle. The tundra covers about 10% of Russia’s land. Largest climate region in Russia is the subarctic. It lies south of the tundra which has some of the world’s coldest temperatures. The humid continental is located in the Northern European Plain. In January Moscow temperature ranges from 9-14 degrees F, in July they vary from 66-99 degrees F. The Black and Caspian seas make up the steppe climate. Also in this region includes the Caucasus Mountains and the border with Kazakhstan. In the steppe region they have grassland areas, dry summers, and long cold dry winters.
 * Population and Culture **

In Russia there are 70 distinct groups. The largest ethnic group in Russia is the Slavs. In the group they include Poles, Serbs, and Ukrainians. Another group in Russia is called the Caucasian because they live in the Caucasus region. In the group they include the Chechens, Dagestains, and Ingushetians. About 75% of Russians live in the western side. About 25% of the people live in Siberia. The major industrial city is Moscow, Russia’s capital. Russian is the county’s official language. The different religions in Russia are Christian, Islam, Judaism, and Buddhism.


 * History and Government **

Russia goes back to the A.D. 600s where they lived in the Northern European Plain. In 1547 Ivan IV became Russia’s supreme ruler. During Ivan’s control the county faced foreign invasions and economic failures. In 1861 Alexander II’s limited reforms without providing for education and cause them to move to cities. They set up a new policy called Russification which encourages people to speak Russian. They began moving towards market economy and restructure agriculture. Separatist movements and ethnic conflicts threaten Russia. Vladimir Putin fixed those conflicts in 1999 when he became president. Then he help Russia get involved with NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization).

The Soviet Union operated as a command economy in which the government owned everything. The unemployment rate was low and some people couldn’t afford goods. When Mikhail Gorbachev came to power in 1985, they switched to market economy. The Russian economy experienced ups and downs in the 1990’s. The GDP failed by 50% in the 1900’s and 1995. The Soviet-era farms were organized into state-controlled kolkhozes (farmers who shared for profit) and sovkhozes (farmers who worked in factories). In 1991 president Yeltsin began restructuring state-run farms. Russian industry transformed in the early 1900’s. The Russia’s economy is expanding in the industry areas and services. Russia’s transportation system must move resources to consumers. A major highway links Moscow to other major cities. Russia depends on railroads and waterways for transportation. There are also pipelines transporting petroleum products. The Soviet era, the state owned and controlled all mass communications systems. 25% of the population uses cell phones. Russia is a major source of energy and fuels, which account for over 53% of its exports. Russia works to maintain its role in world affairs.
 * Economy Activities **

Between 1949 and 1987, the Soviet Union set off more than 600 nuclear explosions. In 1986 a fire in a nuclear reactor in the town of Chernobyl released tons of radioactive particles into the local environment. (400 times more radioactivity than was released in Hiroshima). Due to prevailing winds other countries were suffered as well. Millions of people were exposed to deadly levels of radiation because Soviet officials were slow to alert the people. About 350,000 people were displaced from their homes. Despite concerns, 29 nuclear reactors continue to provide some of the country’s electricity. Fish populations are shrinking worldwide. Ships can catch up to 400 tons of fish a day. Pipelines built to transport oil and gas passes through wilderness areas and threatens the surrounding areas and the environment.
 * Global Issues **

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 * Citation **